Hotpot!
by uneminette
Summary: Having to deliver food to him was embarrassing enough, let alone when there was no one else around to make sure she didn't make a fool of herself! Light hearted, 3 part SessRin story :) Rating may change to M depending on future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Nothing belongs to me!

~oOo~

Rin stood outside of Tokyo University, staring up at the looming brick structure and wondering how in the hell she had gotten into this situation.

The hotpot was warm and heavy in her mittened hands, tiny water droplets condensing on the glass lid. She counted them as she tried to steady her breath. _Oh dear god, lend me your strength._

She spared another glance at the enormous school immediately felt the urge to flee. "Come on, Rin. It's not like you're going to war. You're delivering food to Daichi's friends. Just doing chores." _Stupid Daichi and his stupid video game not allowing him to deliver this stupid soup!_ She groaned internally.

Part of her, a very small voice of logic and reason in the back of her head, reminded her that she had done this thousands of times, to his home when he was younger and to his dorm with her mom or brother.

_Not alone!_ The overwhelming majority of her screamed. _Not directly to his dorm! Oh god, what if he has a girl over? Crap crap crap! What were you thinking Rin?!_ She turned sharply on her heel, starting towards home, where it was safe and warm and there was absolutely no chance of embarrassing herself in front of a certain someone…

Rin skidded to a stop when she remembered that her mother was home for the day, and a chill far colder than that of the December air ran through her, remembering the last time that she had chickened out of delivering food to _him._

She swallowed thickly. There was no way she was getting out of this. Knowing her mother, the woman would call _him_ later on to make sure that he had enjoyed it, too!

_Kami, I'm so screwed. I'm committing seppuku. _

Rin took another steadying breath. She was overreacting. Besides, she had known him for years! What was one small delivery to his apartment, where he lived on his own and they would be completely alone as soon as he closed the door, where he undoubtedly relaxed by taking off his clothes after a long day of classes…

She felt blood rush to her face. _Fantastic, now I'm going to look like a freaking tomato when I go in. I'm sure Sesshomaru finds that very attractive._

While the thought of going inside to see him was terrifying to her, it also made her heart flutter excitedly. It had been two months since she'd seen him last, at his family's Halloween party, and even then she'd barely had the chance to talk to him - not that she had the guts to do so anymore, without making herself look like a complete moron. Of all the people to fall in love with, _why_ did it have to be him?

_I mean, it's not like you could've gone for someone in your league, right Rin? _ She thought bitterly.

Rin groaned again, for the fifth time since she had set out. "How exactly did I get myself into this?" She whimpered.

~oOo~

Fumiko Inoue was, despite her motherly disposition, a self proclaimed evil mastermind.

She stirred the hotpot for the last time, shifting her cell phone so it was balanced between her jawbone and shoulder. "You're sure this will work, Izayoi?"

"Absolutely positive." A giddy voice assured from the other end of the line. "Sesshomaru will be completely taken off guard when he opens the door to darling Rin instead of Daichi. You gave her the scarf and perfume to wear, right?"

"Better," Fumiko grinned. "I've sprayed the scarf with that perfume already, and I'll force her to wear it as she's leaving. That way she won't have time to turn down the offer before she goes."

Izayoi squealed on the other line. "Perfect! That works like a charm, I'll tell you. I used to wear it when Inutaisho and I first started seeing each other. If Sesshomaru was still considering keeping his feelings to himself after not seeing her in two months, this'll do the trick."

"Oh, Izayoi." Fumiko sighed. "You're a blessing to my daughter. I can't even say his name anymore without her turning red as a tomato. It's pitiful, really. Did you know I found an old notebook of hers the other day, with his and her names written all over it?" She giggled. "Ah, young love. I wish they would just get on with it and end this shy puppy dog act already!"

"Don't worry, dear, I've been checking up on Sesshomaru too. That boy that asked her to the festival, Kohaku? When I mentioned it at dinner he nearly had a fit! Inutaisho and I were positively overjoyed!" Izayoi sighed then, too. "Do you remember when they used to walk home together? And then when Rin proposed to him when she turned nine?"

"Of course I do," the other woman laughed. "She had me make them both rings out of dandelions she found outside school. And Inuyasha was the flower boy."

"They were quite the pair." Izayoi agreed. "A little push in the right direction will do them both justice."

Fumiko lifted a hand to her forehead. "The soup is done. Ah! Okay, I'll put the phone down on the counter so you can hear - if she puts up any resistance, remember what she says so we can tell the story at their wedding."

Izayoi's grin was audible in her words. "Mission start!"

The older woman carefully angled her cellphone so that the receiver was towards the stairs. "Rin, darling!" She called. "I need you!"

The muffled "Hai!" That came in response was followed by the sound of clumsy steps down the stairs. Rin appeared at the bottom, her black hair tumbling messily down her shoulders, wearing her statement Hello Kitty leggings.

Fumiko tsk'd. She'd prefer to dress Rin up before sending her, but she'd have to take what she could get. Picking up the wrapped soup, she smiled.

"Dearest," she started in her sweetest voice. "Could you do me a favor? Izayoi and I are so worried that Sesshomaru isn't getting enough home made food lately, with his exams coming up and all. And since Daichi's busy, would you mind delivering it?"

At the sound of his name, Rin's pallid skin turned beet red. "S-Sesshomaru?" She stammered. "I-I don't, I mean, I shouldn't - can't Daichi do it?" She looked at her feet. "I'm not even dressed!"

"Nope." Fumiko said, smiling brusquely. "I need you to. You've been to the apartment two or three times with Daichi before, dear, can you remember where it is?"

"Y-yes, but mom-"

"Wonderful, then!" She clapped her hands together. "Throw on a coat, and get going! Be sure to bundle up, it's cold - and waste no time, we don't want the soup getting cold."

As Fumiko spoke, she steered her daughter towards the door, quickly forcing her arms through a coat. Catching sight of the royal blue scarf hanging up in the doorway, she snatched it up and wrapped it firmly around Rin's neck and shoulders. The young girl was still stammering and red when she was pushed out the front door with the hotpot in hand.

"But mom, I-!" She started.

The door slammed behind her, and after a split second, the slight _click_ of a lock sounded.

Rin looked down at the pot in her hands. _What exactly….just happened?_

On the other side of the door, Fumiko scuttled over to the phone and scooped it up. "She's out of the house! I locked the door just to be safe."

"Ah, Fumiko!" Izayoi sighed happily. "You, my dear, are an evil mastermind."

~oOo~

Rin sniffled deftly, the cold making her nose wrinkle up. _This sucks,_ she pouted. She was in no way mentally prepared to interact with him. Why was she always the one tortured? Daichi was his best friend, after all. Shouldn't bringing him food be _his_ responsibility?

"Man up." She chided herself. She had two options. Number one, stand outside the university until she inevitably froze to death or was abducted. Two, walk through the doors and deliver the soup to Sesshomaru.

"You can do this. You just have to hand over the soup and go," she reminded herself, taking a measured step with each word. "No talking, no hugs, no embarrassing stumbling. You're a big girl, Rin. Sixteen is a very mature age." The buzzer and doors loomed ahead of her. Fingers shaking, she pressed down on the cold button.

"Hello, Tokyo University. All classes are suspended today. How may I help you?" She jumped when the voice of an elderly woman buzzed out.

"U-Um, my name is Inoue Rin!" She stammered. "I'm a friend of Takahashi Sesshomaru-san, bringing him food!" _Really, Rin? Using san? Great choice, now you sound like a child _**_and_**_ like you're scared out of your wits."_

"Just a minute." The woman replied. A loud click sounded, and the alarm over the door beeped for disarm. "Takahashi-san hasn't written for any visitors, but your brother has been around often enough. Step right through, dear."

Rin gulped, pulling open the door with a shaky hand and stepping inside. Couldn't the old lady have turned her away? Dry heat blasted her face and the door closed with a _clang_ behind her.

She cast one last look at the streets of Tokyo behind her, and tried to calm down her heart, which was thudding in her chest.

No turning back now.

~oOo~

A/N: This is going to be a 3 part story, I think :) Any reviews are greatly appreciated!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Part 2! Thanks to anyone who reviewed/faved/followed :) This might be longer than 3 parts (4 or 5, I'm guessing) with how things are progressing. Sorry for the long wait, as well - school is hard. Reviews are greatly appreciated!**

~oOo~

"Now, if you would please, get out."

Sesshomaru Takahashi was very annoyed, and that was evident in his tone as, for possibly the thirtieth time that week, he slammed his door in Kagura's face and turned the lock. The vein in his head twitched as walked to his window and threw it open, hoping to drain out some of the wind bitch's nauseating scent.

And at the same moment he did so, a sizable amount of snow blasted through said window, completely coating the front of his sweater.

The vein twitched again.

_Wonderful,_ he thought bitterly. Now he would have to find something _else_ to wear that was just as unreally soft. He lifted a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, exhaling. He had exams in less than 48 hours, and while it was unlike him to lose his calm, he was incredibly stressed from lack of sleep (three days, to be exact) and lack of proper nourishment (he hadn't eaten anything but cup noodles in weeks).

This combined with a severe bout of moodiness and a generally poor disposition, and he was prepared to murder the next female student that came to his dorm with the proposition of "you know…_studying_ together?"

Sesshomaru closed the window, trying to calm himself down. Kouga wouldn't be too pleased if he put another hole in the wall….or the ceiling….or the flatscreen TV.

For the thousandth time, he found himself wishing Rin was there with him.

When he was younger, the easiest way to calm himself down was to bury his nose into her soft hair and take in her scent. The orchids she kept in her room, the tang of the soap her mother bought in bulk, and the fresh, sunshine scent that seemed to follow her wherever she went.

She had always loved to braid his hair, taking every opportunity to do so up until junior high struck, and out of nowhere, she became reserved.

She blushed and swatted him away when he attempted to lean into her hair, shied away from his touch when he attempted to help her into her jacket after school, and began refusing his offers to walk her home, a full three stops away from his. On top of it all, she started wearing perfume, a habit that blocked out her intoxicating natural scent. It was completely baffling to Sesshomaru.

But it wasn't like her transition to junior high didn't come without it's perks.

In the span of five months, Rin went from a shapeless jumble of sharp knees and elbows to a perfect doll of a girl. Her clear skin and glowing complexion stayed intact, but were joined by soft, rounded lips, almond eyes, and long doe-lashes. She filled out, developing subtle curves that complimented her petite figure, and best of all, her legs got _long. _It was a miracle of science that the three measly inches she gained in height, all of it and more went to her legs. His favorite current pastime was imagining how those long, lean legs would look tangled in his silk bedsheets….

Kami, just thinking about it made Sesshomaru smirk. His Rin had turned out to be a beautiful young woman - not that he had expected anything less, of course.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one that thought so, either. The thought of what Izayoi had told him last week rose to mind, souring his mood again. Whoever that Kohaku boy was, thinking he was good enough to ask Rin on a date….Well, Sesshomaru would find him, and by the time he was done, the boy would know just how low of scum he was.

Of course, after he passed his exams.

~oOo~

The hallways of Tokyo University were, to say the least, extraordinarily intimidating.

Towering and distinctly European, she had to crane her neck back to read the sign that was pinned to one of the arching hallway entrances. The entire experience made her feel very small and very nervous. Luckily, she had entered close to the residential section of the building, and Sesshomaru - being his annoyingly perfect self - had been assigned to the residences in the Dean's Hall, where a vast majority of the honors students lived.

Rin gulped. _Be strong, Rinny. You've made it this far. Just keep moving._

She continued down the first hallway and towards the dorms, taking in her surroundings nervously. Although she had been here before, the experience was vastly changed by having another person with her. The halls were almost dead silent, the loudest noise being the slight rattling of heaters. _Totally not like a horror movie. _

_You know, this really isn't that bad. You're doing a great job. _She silently reassured herself. _This is totally normal. Just a girl bringing soup to her…..friend._ Rin sighed. That was right. _Friend._ As in the completely platonic feelings that Sesshomaru had for her.

"Just like a sister," she grumbled, still feeling the sting from Inuyasha's statement at their last meeting.

Why couldn't she be as lucky as Kagome?

The girl who had been her senpai and tutor was just one year older than Rin, and had somehow ended up in a committed relationship with the younger of the Takahashi brothers, Inuyasha (this despite the couple's weekly fights and death threats to each other - affectionately, of course).

Kagome, of course, had made it her priority to get Rin and Sesshomaru together after unearthing a notebook page of "Mrs. Sesshomaru Takahashis" and heart doodles in her algebra homework. Her efforts included several attempts to force Sesshomaru to tutor Rin, walk her to school, and on occasion, outright presenting Rin to him in revealing outfits of her choosing.

None of them had worked, however, because she was very well aware of the fact that to Sesshomaru, tutoring and escorting were both the chores of a dutiful older brother.

"Moron!" She groaned aloud. She was becoming less and less confident by the second.

Rin shook her head, mustering what little emotional strength there was left. She was in his hallway now, three doors away. Faintly, she could hear American music playing. It was low and smooth, but rhythmic. She frowned, trying to decipher the words.

_The Strokes - Sesshomaru's favorite band._

She gulped, raising a hand to the door labeled _Takahashi; Yamamoto_

The door swung open.

Sesshomaru stood in the doorway, the vein in his forehead twitching, his lips pulled up in a scowl to reveal one of his fangs. "Kagura, I understand you have the mental capacity of a five year old, but-" he broke off almost immediately, eyes widening in shock.

Rin, frozen in place, forced out a weak "Hi."

A small part of her registered that he was angry, and that her name wasn't Kagura, but the rest of her was preoccupied with taking in every detail of him.

_CHRIST._

She swallowed thickly.

He had clearly been in the middle of undressing, as his shirt was askew, the collar halfway unflipped, and two buttons undone. His belt hung loosely around his waist, and his hair -_oh god, she had missed his hair-_ was pulled into a messy bun, the hairstyle oozing masculinity on him.

"Rin." Sesshomaru said, blinking twice. "Excuse me. I wasn't aware you were coming." He blinked again, looking at her like she had three heads. Had she been less overwhelmed by the sight of him, she would've registered that her mother had set her up.

"I- um, I didn't - I mean, mom should've - Daichi - I-" She broke off, mouth dry. "Hi." She finished, completely shutting down. _Oh my god, this is the worst moment of my life._

The corner of mouth twitched the slightest bit, and the heat in her cheeks skyrocketed - a feat she didn't think possible.

Sesshomaru stepped aside, gesturing to the room behind him. "Come in."

Rin ducked her head in a polite bow, shuffling through the door. _Maybe if I close my eyes I can pretend that I'm not making a moron of myself._

_What do I do? Should I start a conversation? _"I have hotpot." She stammered. _Oh dear god._

His golden eyes flickered down to meet hers. "Yes," he stated. "You do."

The silence that arose was awkward to the point of being cringe worthy. Rin grimaced, a thousand different escape plans running through her mind. If she got a running start, she was almost positive she could make it out of that window in the far corner fairly quickly -

Cold hands slid over hers gently, and she gasped, jerking backwards.

And threw the pot.

The steaming meal arched forward gracefully as it plummeted towards the earth, resemblant of a fallen noodle angel making it's descent to hell. Almost in slow motion, broth trailed out, creating chicken-flavored spheres in the air. Rin opened her mouth to scream -

The pot slammed directly against the back of her head.

She briefly registered the impact of a large ceramic crockpot on her skull, before the world before her fizzled out to black.

oOo~

Sesshomaru wasn't one to be in pickles, especially where his future lover was involved, but this - this was certainly a situation that one could only describe as "being in a pickle."

It had happened too fast for even his inuyoukai senses to register. The arrival of Rin to his dorm room was something out of a dream. To have her appear, when just moments earlier he had been wishing for just that?

The next part, not so much.

When Sesshomaru had envisioned inviting Rin into his room, it had gone along a much more suggestive path, that ultimately ended with the two of them, naked, in his oversized bed.

His fantasies had not, for several reasons, included Rin throwing a large dish of soup into the air and knocking herself out when it landed on her.

He felt like the gods were mocking him.

Now he was left to look at the aftermath, which included one teenage girl, out cold, a soaking wet carpet, and noodles _everywhere._

This was going to be a difficult one to explain to his roommate.

He had caught Rin as she went down, and now she was slumped forward in his arms, mouth open. He lifted her slightly, tapping her cheek with one clawed finger.

"Rin," Sesshomaru tried quietly. "Rin, can you hear me?"

There was no response.

Now there was the predicament of how to deal with this situation. Rin was, of course, soaked through her coat and shirt with soup - not her most graceful state - and clearly out for at least an hour. His dorm floor was covered in various vegetables and noodles - and he still had tests to study for.

This was, most definitely, a pickle to be in.

~oOo~

**Review Corner :)**

**Lady Shenzuki ~ I couldn't resist making her mother a scheming old woman. Something about the thought of Izayoi and Rin's mom daydreaming about silver haired grandkids, lol**

**Guest ~ Thank you! I plan to continue updating!**

**Guest ~ Your review reminded me to update, lol. Thank you for reading!**


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